Thursday, August 21
Northridge, Calif.
7:00 p.m.
California State University at Northridge
vs
Grand Canyon
Photo by: © Will Navarro
CSUN Hosts GCU and CBU in First Home Matches
8/19/2025 3:33:00 PM | Women's Soccer
NORTHRIDGE, Calif.---CSUN Women's Soccer plays its first two home matches of the 2025 regular season this week, beginning with a Thursday night matchup with Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. Ghizal Hasan will have the call on ESPN+ for the home opener. The weekend concludes on Sunday when the Matadors take on California Baptist on Sunday at 7 p.m.Â
FOR STARTERS
CSUN opened the 2025 season on the road last week, going 1-0-1 to stay unbeaten through week one for the first time since 2019. This week's matches are a part of a season-high three-match homestand, which concludes with a meeting with Utah Tech on Aug. 28. The homestand will be followed with a three-match road stretch, starting with a contest at San Diego on Aug. 31.Â
ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Matadors would rally to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Saint Mary's in the 2025 season opener on Aug. 14. CSUN faced two deficits in the match as Matadors erased a late 2-1 Saint Mary's lead with an 88th-minute equalizer from freshman Lia Peterson, set up by Jordyn Canister. Senior Cailey Jackson would score the Matadors' first goal of the match in the 14th minute that evened the game at 1-1.Â
CSUN secured its first win of the season on the road at San José State by a 1-0 result on Aug. 17. The Matadors would outshoot the Spartans 14-5 in the contest and use an eighth-minute goal from Canister to take control at the start. Capitalizing on passes from Kayden Perigo and Jackson, Canister scored her first goal of the season along with the eventual game winner. Senior goalkeeper Riley Liebsack collected three saves, all of which in the first half, to earn her first shutout of the year.Â
NEW MATADORS MAKING AN IMPACT
Nine Matadors made their first appearance in a CSUN uniform over the weekend with several making an immediate impact on the pitch. Freshman Lia Peterson would have perhaps the highlight of the weekend with her equalizer in the 88th minute at Saint Mary's for her first career goal. Sophomore Siena Navarra and freshman Alex Valente played all 180 minutes over the two matches, helping limit the opposition to just two combined goals. Sophomore Yasmin Azar and freshman Ariana Lopez-Angel each earned a start and played significant minutes in their first Matador appearances while freshmen Ariah Velazquez, Jo Valdez and Alena Ramirez each earned playing time off the bench. A redshirt freshman, Michelle Monroy would make her first career appearance for CSUN as well while she started in Sunday's win at San José State.Â
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
GCU opened up the 2025 season with a 4-1 defeat to UC Irvine on Aug. 14. A season ago, Grand Canyon went 11-6-3 overall and 5-1-1 in the WAC as the team advanced to the finals of the WAC Tournament. GCU transitioned into the Mountain West Conference over the offseason as the Lopes were picked to finish fifth by the league's head coaches. AJ Loera recorded a season-high 11 points to go with five assists and three goals last season. A freshman, Maya Paeske scored GCU's first goal of the season against UC Irvine last week.Â
Series History: CSUN has won two of three all-time meetings from GCU in women's soccer. The Matadors have won the past two matchups, most recently a 2-0 victory at Grand Canyon in 2019.Â
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
The Lancers split their first two matches of the season as CBU knocked off Cal State Bakersfield 1-0 before falling to fifth-ranked USC 4-0. In 2024, CBU went 10-7-3 overall and 3-3-1 in the WAC, eventually winning the conference tournament and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The team was picked to finish second in the league in the preseason coaches' poll. Jessica Ramirez has the team's lone goal through two matches this season while returners Kaylee Huack and Ava Westlund had three goals apiece last season. Defender Summer Allen was named a Preseason WAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year as well for CBU.Â
Series History: CSUN and CBU have played two matches in women's soccer with each side picking up a win. The two meetings have taken place in Riverside and have occured over the past three seasons. CBU knocked off CSUN last season by a 1-0 score.Â
#GoMatadors
Â
FOR STARTERS
CSUN opened the 2025 season on the road last week, going 1-0-1 to stay unbeaten through week one for the first time since 2019. This week's matches are a part of a season-high three-match homestand, which concludes with a meeting with Utah Tech on Aug. 28. The homestand will be followed with a three-match road stretch, starting with a contest at San Diego on Aug. 31.Â
ABOUT LAST WEEK
The Matadors would rally to earn a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Saint Mary's in the 2025 season opener on Aug. 14. CSUN faced two deficits in the match as Matadors erased a late 2-1 Saint Mary's lead with an 88th-minute equalizer from freshman Lia Peterson, set up by Jordyn Canister. Senior Cailey Jackson would score the Matadors' first goal of the match in the 14th minute that evened the game at 1-1.Â
CSUN secured its first win of the season on the road at San José State by a 1-0 result on Aug. 17. The Matadors would outshoot the Spartans 14-5 in the contest and use an eighth-minute goal from Canister to take control at the start. Capitalizing on passes from Kayden Perigo and Jackson, Canister scored her first goal of the season along with the eventual game winner. Senior goalkeeper Riley Liebsack collected three saves, all of which in the first half, to earn her first shutout of the year.Â
NEW MATADORS MAKING AN IMPACT
Nine Matadors made their first appearance in a CSUN uniform over the weekend with several making an immediate impact on the pitch. Freshman Lia Peterson would have perhaps the highlight of the weekend with her equalizer in the 88th minute at Saint Mary's for her first career goal. Sophomore Siena Navarra and freshman Alex Valente played all 180 minutes over the two matches, helping limit the opposition to just two combined goals. Sophomore Yasmin Azar and freshman Ariana Lopez-Angel each earned a start and played significant minutes in their first Matador appearances while freshmen Ariah Velazquez, Jo Valdez and Alena Ramirez each earned playing time off the bench. A redshirt freshman, Michelle Monroy would make her first career appearance for CSUN as well while she started in Sunday's win at San José State.Â
SCOUTING GRAND CANYON
GCU opened up the 2025 season with a 4-1 defeat to UC Irvine on Aug. 14. A season ago, Grand Canyon went 11-6-3 overall and 5-1-1 in the WAC as the team advanced to the finals of the WAC Tournament. GCU transitioned into the Mountain West Conference over the offseason as the Lopes were picked to finish fifth by the league's head coaches. AJ Loera recorded a season-high 11 points to go with five assists and three goals last season. A freshman, Maya Paeske scored GCU's first goal of the season against UC Irvine last week.Â
Series History: CSUN has won two of three all-time meetings from GCU in women's soccer. The Matadors have won the past two matchups, most recently a 2-0 victory at Grand Canyon in 2019.Â
SCOUTING CALIFORNIA BAPTIST
The Lancers split their first two matches of the season as CBU knocked off Cal State Bakersfield 1-0 before falling to fifth-ranked USC 4-0. In 2024, CBU went 10-7-3 overall and 3-3-1 in the WAC, eventually winning the conference tournament and earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament. The team was picked to finish second in the league in the preseason coaches' poll. Jessica Ramirez has the team's lone goal through two matches this season while returners Kaylee Huack and Ava Westlund had three goals apiece last season. Defender Summer Allen was named a Preseason WAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year as well for CBU.Â
Series History: CSUN and CBU have played two matches in women's soccer with each side picking up a win. The two meetings have taken place in Riverside and have occured over the past three seasons. CBU knocked off CSUN last season by a 1-0 score.Â
#GoMatadors
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